P
US10167873B2ActiveUtilityPatentIndex 92

Dual direction windmill pump for geared turbofan engine

Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPPriority: Sep 19, 2013Filed: Jul 23, 2014Granted: Jan 1, 2019
Est. expirySep 19, 2033(~7.2 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:SHERIDAN WILLIAM GJAMES READE WMASTRO JACOB PETER
F01D 15/12F02C 7/32F01D 21/00F04D 25/028F16H 57/04F05D 2260/4031F04D 29/063F04D 29/053F01D 25/20F04D 19/005F16H 3/003F04D 25/045F04D 29/325
92
PatentIndex Score
21
Cited by
18
References
17
Claims

Abstract

A lubrication system includes a shaft rotatable about an axis, a lubrication pump configured to supply a lubricant flow to a gear system, and a gear train coupled to the shaft and configured to drive the lubrication pump in a first direction responsive to rotation of the shaft in both the first direction and a second direction. A gas turbine engine and method are also disclosed.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A gas turbine engine comprising: a fan section including a shaft gear disposed on a fan shaft rotatable about an axis; a fan drive gear system driving the fan shaft; a lubrication pump configured to supply a lubricant flow to the fan drive gear system; and a gear train coupled to the shaft gear and configured to drive the lubrication pump in a first direction responsive to rotation of the shaft gear in both the first direction and a second direction, the gear train having a primary gear driven by the shaft gear, the primary gear driving a pinion gear that drives a pump shaft gear when rotating in the first direction and a first reverse gear that drives a reverse idler gear that drives the pump shaft gear when the shaft gear rotates in the second direction. 
     
     
       2. The gas turbine engine as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the primary gear is coupled to drive a primary gear shaft that drives the pinion gear responsive to rotation of the fan shaft in the first direction and decouples from the primary gear shaft responsive to rotation of the fan shaft in the second direction. 
     
     
       3. The gas turbine engine as recited in  claim 2 , including a primary overrunning clutch coupling the primary gear to the primary gear shaft during rotation in the first direction. 
     
     
       4. The gas turbine engine as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the pinion gear is configured to drive the lubrication pump. 
     
     
       5. The gas turbine engine as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the first reverse gear is coupled to a reverse gear shaft responsive to rotation of the fan shaft in the second direction and decoupled from the reverse gear shaft responsive to rotation of the fan shaft in the first direction. 
     
     
       6. The gas turbine engine as recited in  claim 5 , including a reverse overrunning clutch for coupling the first reverse gear to the reverse gear shaft during rotation of the fan shaft in the second direction. 
     
     
       7. The gas turbine engine as recited in  claim 5 , including the reverse idler gear driven by the first reverse gear and configured to drive the lubrication pump. 
     
     
       8. The gas turbine engine as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the lubrication pump comprises one of a gear pump, gear rotor pump, and a vane pump. 
     
     
       9. The gas turbine engine as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the fan drive gear system includes at least one gear supported by a journal bearing. 
     
     
       10. A gas turbine engine comprising: a geared architecture; a fan shaft to rotate about an axis with the geared architecture; a lubrication pump configured to supply a lubricant flow to the geared architecture; and an input gear train coupled to the fan shaft and configured to drive the lubrication pump in a first direction responsive to rotation of the fan shaft in both of the first direction and a second direction, the input gear train having a primary gear driven by a shaft gear disposed on the fan shaft, the primary gear driving a pinion gear that drives a pump shaft gear when rotating in a first direction and a first reverse gear that drives a reverse idler gear that drives the pump shaft gear when the shaft gear rotates in the second direction. 
     
     
       11. The gas turbine engine as recited in  claim 10 , wherein rotation of the fan shaft in a non-powered condition of the gas turbine engine drives the input gear train in one of the first direction and the second direction. 
     
     
       12. The gas turbine engine as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the primary gear is coupled to drive a primary gear shaft through a primary clutch responsive to rotation of the fan shaft in the first direction and decoupled from the primary gear shaft responsive to rotation of the fan shaft in the second direction. 
     
     
       13. The gas turbine engine as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the first reverse gear is coupled to a reverse gear shaft through a reverse clutch responsive to rotation of the fan shaft in the second direction and decoupled from the reverse gear shaft responsive to rotation of the an fan shaft in the first direction. 
     
     
       14. The gas turbine engine as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the fan shaft is in communication with a fan, and the fan shaft rotates in each of the first direction and the second direction responsive to fan windmilling. 
     
     
       15. A method of lubricating a geared architecture comprising: driving a lubricant pump responsive to rotation of a fan shaft in a non-powered condition; and generating a lubricant flow with the lubricant pump to portions of a geared architecture; wherein the lubricant pump generates the lubricant flow responsive to the fan shaft rotating in a first or second direction. 
     
     
       16. The method as recited in  claim 15 , including rotating a primary gear with a gear disposed on the fan shaft, the primary gear driving a pinon gear that drives a pump shaft gear of the lubricant pump when rotating in a first direction and a first reverse gear that drives a reverse idler gear that drives the pump shaft gear upon rotation of the fan shaft in a second direction. 
     
     
       17. The method as recited in  claim 15 , including directing lubricant flow from the lubricant pump to at least one journal bearing.

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